Vance Worley suffered from unearned run syndrome today allowing three runs, one earned, in six innings. Worley struck out five while only walking one and seems to be getting stronger since coming off the DL.

Hunter Pence had his first four hit game in a Phillies uniform going 4 for 5 with four singles. Juan Pierre, Thome and Luna added two hits each for the Phillies.

This was a frustrating game to watch. A 6-4 loss in 12 innings is not how I thought this game would end. The Phillies committed three errors in the fourth inning and I, as a fan, never quite recovered. B.J. Rosenberg added the final nail giving up the home run to Jones to end the game.

Sorry for the short recap. It’s a tough loss. Especially with a team that is now seven games back in the NL East. Cliff Lee is on the mound tomorrow.

7 back in mid-June isn’t insurmountable, but it’s the way they’re finding so many different ways to lose that has me tearing my hair out and wishing MLB.tv offered partial refunds.

Today’s fourth inning tragicomedy of errors was just their latest and greatest way of throwing away a winnable game. If the pitching is good, the bats are quiet — especially if Lee is pitching. If the bats wake up, Kendrick or Blanton is out there on the mound tossing BP balls. If somehow pitching and hitting both have decent games, they butcher easy grounders — which is only going to get worse with Freddy gone. (Fontenot or Martinez at 2B? Is it too late to get Valdez back?)

I’ve been searching for reasons to be optimistic all year, and after today’s game I basically got nothin’. Chase and Ryan are going to take at least a few weeks to get back into playing shape, and who knows how far they are from their next injury. Who knows if Roy’s injury is going to nag him all year, and he wasn’t exactly lighting the world on fire before he hit the DL. The bullpen is the usual mess that we’re accustomed to. Pence keeps whacking at that chin-high fastball. The only bright spots this season have been Chooch, Freddy, and I guess Papelbon if you somehow forget how much we’re paying for each of those outs.

I live in Pittsburgh now, and I see the Buccos 1.5 games behind Cincy with a payroll of approximately 3 Primanti sandwiches and a case of Iron City. Then I look across the state to my hometown and see my beloved Fightin Phils 9 games back in the loss column to the Gnats. I still expect the Pirates to do their usual late-season nosedive, but why should I believe the Phils are going to catch any of the teams ahead of them?

I like your enthusiasm Mikey, I really do. But there is a big difference from 2007 when they were 7 games back. There was only one team they trailed. Only one team that had to fall into catastrophic “fail mode” like only the Mets can, to catch them. There are now four teams in front of us, four teams that may trade places at the top now and then making it much more difficult to make up 7 games. I don’t know this, but I doubt the Nats will hold on to first place the entire season. Their hitting is sporadic at best, but has been very clutch, it’s hard to maintain winning that way with an inexperienced pitching staff. (which has been outstanding so far) When you have to hop four teams instead of one, and they are hopping each other, it’s a much tougher task.

BUT- There is still time, it’s not August or September, it can be done. Go Phils.

Kyle while no Lee or Doc has been doing a decent job. We all know basically Kendricks MO. He throw a few decent games, maybe even a gem once in a while, then throw a stinker up. This team is just finding ways to lose a game. I almost knew once it went into extra innings it was going to be a L. I didnt watch the game but caught moments of it on the radio.

i remember not that long ago we used to find ways to win! now we’re finding ways to lose! i have faith still because baseball has a way to even out. teams tend to find their whatevers! i’m hoping the whatevers start appearing. when you pray for something sometimes they’re answered. god has a lot on his plate in this world, maybe he’s just too busy and our prayers haven’t been heard yet but look out when they are nl east! they’re testing our faith and we are passing with flying colors so far imo! in past years we would have booed them off the field! but generally i think we’re hanging pretty good! it’s just frustrating. GO PHILS

Since we’re not a power hitting club, we need the clutch hit that keeps eluding this lineup. How many times (up through yesterday) have there been RISP with less than 2 outs, and we’re lucky if we score 1 run? At this point, I’m ready to bring Dom Brown back up, put Victorino in LF, and see what happens next.

Please. This is another team wearing the Phillies uniforms. Change this…change that. If you could make hurt guys heakthy, now that would be a trick. Just lets all relax and play the games. Nobody is getting fired. There won’t be any signficant trades any time soon. Lets just get to end June/beginning July.

If this team is in last place and under .500 around the All-Star break I’d be VERY surprised if someone doesn’t get fired. Maybe Greg Gross, maybe Rich Dubee, maybe Qualls gets released; I don’t know. But teams with $17o,ooo,ooo+ payrolls don’t tolerate losing. Outside of the Yankees, they can’t afford to.

I’m not so sure, history shows that RA Jr. likes to shoot first. And according to MLBTR today, they are trying to get Middlebrooks from the Red Sox. I have no earthly idea why they would trade their young stud third baseman, when older Youk will be gone soon, but that’s what it said.

It’s too late to get Middlebrooks unless Hamels or Lee is involved. I was pushing Rube to go after him before he came up by offering Halladay (pre injury) . But it’s too late now for that deal as they know what they have as you said “Stud” third baseman. He’s the same guy that Schmenkman called “middlin” when I brought it up.